Ladakh is soon to boast South East Asia's inaugural Night Sky Sanctuary, according to Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Sunday (November 26). The Sanctuary's establishment involves collaboration with the Indian Institute of Astrophysics Bengaluru, affiliated with the Department of Science & Technology, Govt of India. The Minister lauded Lt Governor Brig (Retd) B.D. Mishra for his active role in the project.
Representing the Ministry of Science & Technology and CSIR, the Minister expressed the intent to request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the Night Sky Reserve at Hanle. The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology made these remarks during the inauguration of the exhibition ‘Ladakh’s Pride,’ commemorating the fourth anniversary of the Union Territory of Ladakh.
The forthcoming Dark Sky Reserve, situated in Hanle village, Eastern Ladakh, within Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary, will enhance Astro-tourism in India. It's poised to become one of the world’s loftiest sites for optical, infra-red, and gamma-ray telescopes, as stated by the Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions.
Encompassing 1,073 square kilometres, the Night Sky Reserve lies within Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary, adjacent to the Indian Astronomical Observatory—a notable site with the world's second-highest optical telescope, located at Hanle, 4,500 metres above sea level.
In the context of India's achievements like Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya-L1 solar mission, Jitendra Singh emphasized the allure of this Dark Sky Reserve, ranking among only 15 or 16 of its kind globally.
The Union Minister disclosed the signing of a tripartite MoU involving the UT Administration, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh, and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) to launch the Dark Space Reserve. The site aims to stimulate local tourism and the economy through Science and Technology interventions.
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